Harlow 18 Saffron Walden 21

(Half time 15 - 16)

London Three North East League

There is very little to choose between the clubs in the bottom half of this division and on Saturday Harlow failed to take the points from saffron Walden by the narrowest of margins.  It leaves them under considerable pressure in their forthcoming matches against Norwich and Mersey Island both of which are struggling themselves.  Harlow created plenty of scoring opportunities but lacked the ability to complete the moves.  Having got away to a good start they contributed to their own difficulties by conceding three penalties which allowed the visitors back into the game.

Harlow started strongly playing down the slope and took play deep into the visitors’ 22.  They were unable to break through for the final touchdown on several occasions and on 6 minutes when Saffron Walden were penalised they opted to take the points and Humphreys slotted a safe penalty.  Harlow continued to have most of the play but again were held out by desperate defence until eventually the Harron took the ball had made an outside break to touch down in the corner for an unconverted try taking the score to eight nil.  Harlow came close to another score when Eynon intercepted to Saffron Walden Pass in the Harlow 22 and ran 60 yards only to be stopped just short of the try line.  In the next 10 minutes Harlow conceded three penalties all converted by Hughes, to Saffron Walden fly half giving them a 9 - 8 lead.  On 32 minutes Harlow hit back with a good attacking move involving both backs and forwards allowing the open side flanker Lee Covington to touch down close to the posts.  Humphreys converted for a 15 - 9 lead.  In the last minute of the half Saffron Walden hit back with a try by Hughes which he converted himself to give them a 16 point to 15 lead at the interval.

In the third quarter the visitors had rather more of the game as Harlow began to feel the pressure.  They had the edge in the set scrums and seemed to have a reasonable answer to the line outs; traditionally a strong point of the Harlow play.  In the 49^th minute there winger scored a try in the corner giving them a 21 points to 15 lead.  In the final quarter Harlow came back into the game and produced a number of good attacking opportunities.  A penalty by Humphries on the 60^th minute cut the margin to three points and it looked as though the Rams may yet snatch the game.  Fullback Rob Mackie came into the line and made a good midfield break being stopped literary 6 inches short of the try line.  Several breaks by the forwards also took them to within the five metre line that they simply lacked the momentum to power over.  The game ended with Harlow still on the attack but unable to make any impression on the score board.

Next weekend Harlow are at home to Charlton Park in the third round of EDF Energy Senior Vase before resuming their league campaign the following week with an away game against bottom of the table Norwich.  The Norfolk club have had a disastrous start to the season but it is important that Harlow do not underrate them in what is a critical match.  Norwich have been doing much better in recent weeks and although still losing the margins are now much smaller and given the home advantage this must be regarded as a match which will require commitment if Harlow are to take the points.

Harlow seconds had a good result against Romford in the Essex merit table division one game winning by a 22 points to 10.  Harlow fourths playing in the preliminary round of the Greene King cup did even better coming away with a 48 points to 12 win against Hitchin the side who knocked them out of the competition last season.

Tries: Lee Harron, Lee Covington

Conversions:  Paul Humphries

Penalties: Paul Humphries (2)

Team List

1 -  Tom Webb  

2 -  Stuart Wilkins
3 -  Matt Branch (Sub 40 mins Ricky Mckinley )
4 -  Mark Twiner (Sub 65 mins Shaun Roberts )
5 -  Hans Barnard

6 -  Darren Hawkins 
7 -  Lee Covington
8 -  Paul Eynon

9 -  Lee Harron

10 - James McFerran

11 - Chris Webb (Sub 50 mins Matt Howard)
12 - Simon Vanbeck  

13 - Paul Humphries
14 - Will Grimley

15 - Rob Mackie

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